Contemporary Art in St. Petersburg: Museums and Exhibitions
Just imagine: you, contemporary art and a guide in headphones explaining the meaning of a triangular statuette and intricate lines. Such an intellectual date with yourself perfectly matches St. Petersburg.
In this article, we tell you in detail which contemporary art museums and exhibitions to visit if your ticket to St. Petersburg is already warming your pocket.
Erarta
The Erarta Museum of Contemporary Art on Vasilyevsky Island opened in 2010. Its name is derived from two words, era and arta, meaning “the era of art.” Annually, Erarta hosts over forty temporary exhibitions, showcasing approximately 2,800 works by contemporary artists. There are also permanent exhibitions that place a strong emphasis on the sensory and mental experience of each viewer. In short, true beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Today, Erarta is more than just exhibitions and tours. It also hosts theatrical performances and educational lectures. On the ground floor of the museum, visitors can purchase souvenirs, art books, and artworks by the artists themselves. A separate must-visit at Erarta is the cafe and restaurant offering signature cuisine. Here, each dish is a successful creative experiment by the city's best chefs.
Prices
Tickets are sold for a single visit — 800 rubles at the ticket office / 1,000 rubles for an e-ticket without queuing. An annual club ticket is 2,400 rubles (in case you stay in St. Petersburg for a long time and want to visit all exhibitions).
How to get there
Address: 29th Line of Vasilyevsky Island, 2. From Vasileostrovskaya metro station — 30 minutes on foot, you can also take buses 6 and 249.
Opening hours: daily (except Tuesdays) from 10:00 to 22:00.
Marina Gisich Gallery
Dreaming of bringing together works by contemporary artists under one roof, gallerist Marina Gisich decided to turn her fantasy into reality and opened her gallery in 2000. Since then, exhibitions by Russian and international artists have successfully followed one another, creating a sensation.
One of the most popular artists exhibited in the gallery was Evgeny Yufit. He creates works in the genre of necrorealism, reflecting on themes of the irrational mixture of life and death. Additionally, exhibitions by Vladimir Kustov, Yan Ginzburg, Boris Kazakov, and other contemporary artists have been held here.
At the entrance to Marina Gisich Gallery, there is a QR code that leads to videos about each exhibition. For guests attending specific events, we recommend checking out the YouTube channel, where artists talk about their exhibited works.
Price
An admission ticket to Marina Gisich Gallery costs 200 rubles.
How to get there
Address: Fontanka River Embankment, 121. The easiest way to get there is on foot from Sennaya Ploshchad, Spasskaya, or Sadovaya metro stations. The walk to the gallery will take 10 minutes.
Opening hours: Monday — Saturday from 11:00 to 19:00.
Anna Nova Gallery
Anna Nova Gallery opened in the very center of the city in 2005. It is named after its founder, Anna Nova, who decided to bring together works by Russian artists in one space, just like Marina Gisich. Since 2007, the gallery has participated in international contemporary art fairs and exhibited paintings by foreign masters within its walls.
Here you can often meet the artists themselves, so if you want to get inspired and interact with people of art, this gallery is a must-visit. Scan the QR code at the entrance to access a Telegram chatbot that explains the concept of each exhibition and helps you understand what the artist intended to convey.
New Museum of Contemporary Art
Aslan Chekhoev opened a space in June 2010 where works from his personal collection were exhibited. Thus, the 'New' became the first private museum of contemporary art opened in St. Petersburg.
This two-story space features both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The main focus here is on nonconformist Soviet art objects and works by 21st-century artists. Must-sees at the 'New Museum' include works by Dmitry Gutov, Anatoly Osmolovsky, as well as Soviet artists Vladimir Nemukhin, Mikhail Shvartsman, and Oskar Rabin.
Price
An adult ticket is 350 rubles, a concession ticket for schoolchildren, students, and pensioners is 200 rubles.
How to get there
Address: 6th Line of Vasilyevsky Island, 29. The New Museum is located opposite Vasileostrovskaya metro station.
Opening hours: Wednesday — Sunday from 12:00 to 19:00.
Ludwig Museum in the Russian Museum
At the end of the 20th century, German collectors Peter and Irene Ludwig donated 118 works by contemporary artists from around the world to the Russian Museum. Since then, they have been housed in the Marble Palace on Dvortsovaya Embankment.
Here you can find paintings by popular artists such as Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, who gained fame in pop art and neo-expressionism. You can also admire works by Jeff Koons — one of the most expensive contemporary artists in the world. We recommend taking a guided tour to gain a deeper understanding of their works and to grasp each artistic movement. A little secret: by purchasing a visit with a guide, you automatically gain access to halls that are otherwise inaccessible.
Overall, at the Ludwig Museum, you can experience the contrast between foreign and domestic art. Additionally, be sure to appreciate the interiors of the palace itself, created from marble and granite in the architectural style of Catherine's classicism.
Price
For adults, an admission ticket costs 400 rubles, for students and pensioners — 200 rubles.
How to get there
Address: Millionnaya St., 5a. The nearest metro station is Nevsky Prospekt, and the walk will take about 20 minutes.
Opening hours: daily (except Tuesdays) from 10:00 to 18:00.
KGallery
Want to see a unique collection of Russian avant-garde and Soviet academic art? Head to KGallery!
Exhibits for this gallery began to be collected in the mid-1980s, but the space itself only opened to visitors in 2005. KGallery collaborates with both private collectors and state museums. For example, exhibitions such as 'Kuzma Petrov-Vodkin' and 'Ivan Aivazovsky. To the Artist's 200th Anniversary' have been held here. The exhibitions are constantly changing.
One of KGallery's features is meetings, lectures, and masterclasses with popular artists and contemporary art specialists. Tickets for such events should be purchased in advance, but it's definitely worth it. Also, on the ground floor, there's a cozy specialty coffee shop with delicious pastries and a themed interior. So be sure to treat yourself to coffee and a croissant surrounded by bookshelves before visiting the exhibition.
Price
Full ticket — 350 rubles, concession for schoolchildren, pensioners, and students — 100 rubles.
How to get there
Address: Fontanka River Embankment, 24. The easiest way to get there is on foot from Gostiny Dvor, Nevsky Prospekt, or Mayakovskaya metro stations. The journey will take about 20 minutes.
Opening hours: daily from 11:00 to 20:00.
Svinoe Rylo Gallery
Svinoe Rylo Gallery is the best place in St. Petersburg for fans of ironic art and satire. It's located next to KGallery, just a five-minute walk away, so you can take on the challenge of 'Visiting two exhibitions in one day.'
Svinoe Rylo offers a cool experience when interacting with works by Russian artists. For example, there's a room with an old bed where you can easily watch a show on a small Soviet TV and crack sunflower seeds. The most popular artists you'll see here are Vasya Lozhkin and Nikolay Kopeikin.
At Svinoe Rylo, there's a souvenir shop where we recommend buying T-shirts and magnets for friends with a sense of humor. Paintings can also be purchased, though the price will be significantly higher than for souvenirs.
Price
Admission to the gallery is free.
How to get there
Address: Fontanka River Embankment, 5/2. Entrance from the courtyard. The easiest way to get to the gallery is on foot from Gostiny Dvor, Nevsky Prospekt, or Mayakovskaya metro stations. The journey will take about 20 minutes.
Opening hours: Wednesday — Friday from 17:00 to 20:00, Saturday — Sunday from 13:00 to 20:00.
Manege Central Exhibition Hall
Exhibitions at the Manege attract tourists from all cities: they come to St. Petersburg from Kazan, Yekaterinburg and even Novosibirsk.
The Manege is a two-story, world-class gallery that exhibits works by Russian and international artists. Exhibitions here are large-scale, but temporary. Therefore, the exhibition hall publishes its schedule several months in advance so that visitors can plan their visit.
In 2023, the Central Exhibition Hall became the winner of a grant competition for the development of inclusive practices in museums, 'Without Exception,' so a unique emotional and visual experience will definitely be available to you at any exhibition. We recommend reflecting on your visit to the Manege at the eponymous cafe on the ground floor. Next to the cafe, there is also a book and souvenir shop.
Price
The price depends on the day of the week: for adults on Monday — 400 rubles, from Tuesday to Friday — 500 rubles, and on weekends — 700 rubles.
How to get there
Address: St. Isaac's Square, 1. The fastest way is on foot from Admiralteyskaya metro station. It will take about 15 minutes.
Opening hours: the museum usually operates from 12:00 to 21:00. You should check the schedule on the official website of the Central Exhibition Hall.
Artmuza
The Artmuza Museum of Contemporary Art is located in the premises of the former 'Muzdetal' musical instrument factory. In the two four-story buildings of the art space, you will see paintings, sculptures, design objects, and interiors by Russian artists.
In addition to exhibitions, lectures, seminars, concerts, and educational masterclasses are held here. The total area of residences, workshops, and galleries is about 13,000 sq. m. At Artmuza, the exhibitions are also temporary, so check the program before your visit.
Two features of the space that will delight gourmets are an art dining room with unique kitchen furniture and the Artist restaurant. At the latter, a romantic dinner with signature cuisine can be arranged for you and your partner.
Price
Admission to the museum is free.
How to get there
Address: 13th Line of Vasilyevsky Island, 70. The easiest way to get there is from Vasileostrovskaya metro station — the walk takes about 15 minutes.
Opening hours: daily from 11:00 to 22:00.
Borey Art Center
The Borey Art Center was founded in 1991 to provide St. Petersburg artists with a permanent exhibition venue. Since then, it has welcomed artists of various styles and allows them to showcase their works for free. Borey adheres to the same policy for visitors: admission to the art center is free.
In this space, you can meet popular artists, writers, and designers who give lectures and talk about the meaning of their works. Therefore, it's very easy to feel like part of the creative intelligentsia here, to study paintings, or read rare books on contemporary art over a cup of coffee.
The founders of the art center state that Borey does not chase commercial trends but preserves traditions of partnership with authorities and awakens curiosity for diverse substantive novelty. We hope that upon your arrival in St. Petersburg, you will have time to see this for yourself.
Price
Admission to the museum is free.
How to get there
Address: Liteyny Prospekt, 58. The art center is within walking distance of Mayakovskaya, Vladimirskaya, and Dostoyevskaya metro stations.
Opening hours: Tuesday — Saturday from 12:00 to 20:00.
We wish you the best prices on art objects and a great trip to St. Petersburg!
